Mid-sized Dothan Notebook Roundup: Dell, Gateway, and HP/Compaq

HP Compaq NC6000: Upgrading and Maintenance

The HP/Compaq doesn't allow for much component access on the bottom side of the system. There is only a single access panel that reveals a mini-PCI slot. All of our systems came with Intel's 2200BG 802.11b/g WiFi card, including our NV6000.

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The keyboard is fairly typical for HP standards, but there is one thing that sets this design apart from the rest of the notebooks that have passed through the labs: keyed released design. There are four "keys"/switches on the upper portion of the keyboard that keep it locked in place. Most notebook designs incorporate the system's keyboard in a recessed manner, so removing the keyboard for maintenance, upgrading, cleaning, etc. almost always requires a screwdriver to pry it out part of the way, and thus scratching either the keyboard or the front bezel of the casing.

Dell's solution to this has been to design a small divot/recess into the front bezel of notebook's casing. This allows a user to lift out casing that secures the keyboard down (excluding the screws for the keyboard of course).

Note that there are two screws on the bottom of the system that need to be unscrewed before you can remove the keyboard by way of the four keyboard lock switches.

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There are two SODIMM memory slots that can be accessed by the user, here. Because our NC6000 system came configured with 1 x 512MB memory modules, we would in theory be able to upgrade to 2GB (2 x 1GB), assuming we dished out the price premium for the SODIMM 1GB memory module.

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The CPU is located in the upper right hand corner, which cannot be accessed by the user, unless the notebook is taken apart. For those curious, we understand it to be a socket design; instead of being mounted directly on the motherboard.

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